Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education member George Griffin announced his candidacy for re-election Wednesday. Griffin was first elected to the board in 2021.

“My first term on the board has been gratifying,” Griffin said in his announcement. “It has been a steep learning curve in so many ways. I never thought I’d say this, but it feels as if I’m just getting started.”

Image via George Griffin

Griffin described several key issues which he will campaign on this fall, including developing a five-year budget and analyzing return on investment of the district’s current programs. Griffin currently serves as the board’s chair and previously served as its vice chair.

During Griffin’s tenure, the board has voted to implement a new 4×4 block scheduling format for all three of its high schools – Chapel Hill High, East Chapel Hill High and Carrboro High – beginning in the 2025-26 school year. The board voted 6-0 in favor of the change last summer. Griffin hailed the switch as a step toward equity among the district’s students.

The board also achieved a victory in 2024, as Orange County residents voted “Yes” on a $300 million bond referendum which will fund both the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and the Orange County Schools districts, with CHCCS receiving nearly $174.7 million of that total. The district has targeted its three oldest school buildings – Carrboro Elementary, Estes Hills Elementary and Frank Porter Graham Elementary – for replacement. Phillips and Culbreth Middle Schools have also been targeted for “significant” infrastructure upgrades.

Despite that victory, Griffin said the future of education is cloudy.

“It’s no secret that public education is under attack from many fronts,” he said. “I remain up for the battle. I have the experience, the leadership abilities, and the passion to get us moving again in a direction that benefits all students.”

Griffin is one of three members of the seven-person board whose term expires in 2025, along with Michael Sharp and vice chair Riza Jenkins.

 

Featured image via George Griffin

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